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Grassineau Musical Dictionary (1740)

About

The Grassineau Musical Dictionary is a dictionary of Greek, Latin, Italian, French, and English music terminology. It was published in 1740 by James Grassineau, an English lexicographer of French descent who, despite having little musical background, spent much of his career translating and compiling various writings on music and music theory. It is thought to have been heavily influenced by Sébastien de Brossard's Dictionnaire de Musique (1703), which, according to Grove Music Online, is oftentimes considered to be the "first large-scale dictionary of musical terms." 
  • Resource Type: Dictionary​
  • Year Published: 1740
  • Contributor(s):​
    • ​James Grassineau (author)
  • Terminology Utilized: 
    • ​​"Flute" = Vertical Flute
    • "Flute" = Transverse Flute
    • "German Flute" = Transverse Flute
  • Location of Publication: London
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Terminology

The majority of flute-related terms in this text are located on pages 77-78, with the latter being of the most interest. The majority of page 78 is spent on the definition for "Flute" which states that it is an instrument that "is played on by blowing on it with the mouth, and the tones or notes are changed by stopping and opening the holes, disposed for that purpose, along it's side." Later in that definition, the text specifies that the "Flute" and the "German Flute" are two different instruments, stating "German Flute is an instrument entirely different from the common Flute; 'tis not like that put into the mouth to be played, but the end is stopt [sic] with with a tampion or plug, and the lower lip is applied to a hole... It's sound is exceedingly sweet and agreeable and it serves as a treble in a concert." While the definition for "Flute" could potentially apply to either instrument, the definition from "German Flute" clearly refers to the transverse flute. As such, it is apparent that "Flute" is being used in reference to the vertical flute while "German Flute" is being used in reference to the transverse flute.
Picture
Pages 77 and 78 of Grassineau's Musical Dictionary showing definitions of a variety of flute-related terms and usages of the terms "Flute" and "German Flute."
Retrieved from the Riemenschneider Bach Institute's website.
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  • Home
  • About The Project
  • The Poster
  • Select Analyses
    • 16th Century >
      • The King's Musick
    • 17th Century >
      • A Vade Mecum for the Lovers of Musick (1679)
      • The Genteel Companion (1683)
      • Thesaurus Musicus (1693)
      • A Collection of New Ayres (1695)
      • The Compleat Flute-Master (1695)
    • 18th Century >
      • A comparison between the French and Italian musick and opera's (1709)
      • The Modern Musik-Master (1730)
      • The Bird Fancyer's Delight (1717)
      • A Short Explication of Such Foreign Words, as are Made use of in Musick Books (1724)
      • Grassineau Musical Dictionary (1740)
      • Nancy or The Parting Lovers (1740)
      • The Compleat Tutor for the Flute (1746)
      • Dictionarium Musica (1770)
      • The Present State of Music in France and Italy (1771)
      • The Elements of Musick Display'd (1772)
      • Longman & Broderip 1774 Music Catalog (1774)
      • A General History of the Science and Practice of Music (1776)
      • New Music: Engraved, Printed, and Sold by John Preston (1781)
    • 19th Century >
      • The Cyclopædia (1819)
  • The Index
    • Poster Footnotes